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Tableau GIF Tutorial: Creating a Pareto Chart

This post was originally published on The Data School blog between 2018 and July 2025, before our program was renamed to MIP’s Analytics Career Accelerator. References throughout this article to “The Data School” or “DS” all refer to what is now MIP’s Analytics Career Accelerator. The program, its people, and its commitment to launching outstanding analytics careers remain the same – just under a new name.

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Tableau GIF Tutorial Series

Welcome to the first entry of my Tableau GIF Tutorial series. This tutorial series contains pure step-by-step instructions accompanied by GIF images. It is intended for intermediate users who posses core Tableau skills and just want to see how a chart or a specific goal is done. I will not explain what the main topic is all about but I will provide helpful external links. The classic Sample – Superstore data set will be used in these tutorials. Without further ado, let’s proceed on creating a Pareto chart.

How to Create a Pareto Chart

1. From the Data tab, drag Customer Name to Columns and Profit to Rows.
2. In Columns, right click on Customer Name and select Sort.
3. Set the following in the Sort window:

    • Sort By: Field
    • Sort Order: Descending

Tableau GIF Tutorial Pareto Chart Part 1Steps 1-3

4. In Rows, right click on SUM(Profit) and select Add Table Calculation.
5. Configure the Table Calculation window:

    • for Calculation Type, choose Running Total
    • set Compute Using to Specific Dimensions (Customer Name should be ticked)
    • tick Add secondary calculation
    • in Secondary Calculation Type, select Percent of Total
    • set Compute Using to Specific Dimensions (Customer Name should be ticked)

6. Change the Fit view from Standard to Fit Width or Entire View.

Tableau Tutorial Pareto Chart Part 2Steps 4-6

7. Hold the Ctrl key and from Columns, drag Customer Name to Marks pane.
8. In Columns, right click Customer Name, select Measure and then Count (Distinct).
9. In Columns, right click on CNTD(Customer Name) △ and select Add Table Calculation.
10. Configure the Table Calculation window:

    • for Calculation Type, choose Running Total
    • set Compute Using to Specific Dimensions and tick Customer Name
    • tick Add secondary calculation
    • in Secondary Calculation Type, select Percent of Total
    • set Compute Using to Specific Dimensions and tick Customer Name

Tableau Tutorial Pareto Chart Part 3Steps 7-10

11. From the Data tab, drag Profit to Rows.
12. In the Sum(Profit) mark (the last one), change the mark type to Bar.
13. Right click SUM(Profit) in Rows and select Dual Axis.
14. In the % of Total Running Sum of Profit axis, right click and select Move marks to front.

Tableau Tutorial Pareto Chart Part 4Steps 11-14

15. Click the Analytics tab and drag a Reference Line to CNTD(Customer Name)  △‘s Pane.
16. In the Edit Reference Line, Band or Box window, enter a Constant value of 0.2 in the Line.
17. Drag another Reference Line to SUM(Profit) △‘s Pane.
18. In the Edit Reference Line, Band or Box window, enter a Constant value of 0.8 in the Line.

Tableau Tutorial Pareto Chart Part 5Steps 15-18

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